Never say never: HP returns to the tablet world, this time with a $170 Android tablet

It’s hard to mention the words ‘tablet’ and ‘HP’ without remembering the colossal failure of the HP Touchpad. Starting with the ElitePad, HP has made an effort to try once more to win back consumers in the tablet world, and with the Slate 7, it’s gone back to the drawing board. The Slate is a dirt-cheap 7-inch tablet running Android Jelly Bean instead of WebOS, and costing just $170.

The HP Slate 7 brings new meaning to the word bare-bones, and is a stark contrast from the top-of-the-line hardware HP invests into both its Tablet PCs and HP Touchpad back in 2011. The most we know about the Slate 7 is that it will have a 1.6GHZ dual-core processor, 3-megapixel rear camera and VGA front camera, 8GB of internal storage, Beats Audio, and a 1024×600 pixel sunlight-readable 7-inch display. Powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, HP has made clear that it won’t repeat the mistake of reinventing the wheel with WebOS, and at most will offer some HP software with the device, such as e-print. HP’s official blog wrote a highlight on the device, and notes that its a consumer-oriented device, meant for the average joe with color choices and a budget in mind. At just $170, the most interesting thing you’ll notice with the Slate 7 is its price.

The HP Slate 7, set for an April launch, is running 2011 hardware in a 2013 world. HP dumped all of its TouchPads in a big firesale in August of 2011, marking the death of WebOS and consumer tablets for the company. The Slate 7 is the start of HP’s new Slate series, and it looks like the new series has consumers in mind with one big variable: price. In the end, if you’re looking for a dirt-cheap tablet, and you’re willing to take another chance with HP, then the Slate 7 may be something to look at come April.